After graduating from a cabinetmaking apprenticeship, Gamperl went on to complete a master in woodturning and has establish studios in both Germany and Italy. Carving a distinct niche with his unique appreciation for wood has proliferated his work across Europe, Asia and America. Hewn from a massive 300-year-old oak uprooted during a storm, this large wooden containers take their design cues from the forms, fissures, and fractures of the original tree. While careful carvings of filigree parallel grooves evince the artisan’s hand on the surface, the treatment of clay, earth, and stone powder combine with the wood’s natural tannic acid to give the objects a fitting organic finish. Replete with natural imperfections, these tributes eternalise the story of a fallen tree.

After studying architecture in his hometown of Chiba, Japan, Yoshiaki Kojiro honed his artisanal skills at the Tokyo Glass Art Institute. His disciplined approach to glass-making is infused with his native culture and his propensity for investigation. A musing on the relationship between materials and man, this glass bowl becomes a trophy of experimentation. Blending glass powder with copper oxide, the firing process creates a unique interplay between the melted glass and the gases emanating from heated mineral. The result is an ephemeral glow that creates a withered texture on the lasting form. Transmitting the strength of a ceramic piece made from the delicacy of glass, the rich blue-coloured bowl is a radical, profound and majestic statement.

Artesanías Panikua, Mexico
Tata Curiata, 2016
Wheat fiber

Descendants of the indigenous Purépecha people from Mexico’s Michoacán region, this family workshop weaves ancestral craftsmanship and mythology into every creation. Between farming and fishing, Antonio Cornelio, his wife Verónica, and two daughters Gabriela and Bertha, further a legacy that extends well beyond their own family. Several hundred strands of wheat fibre are woven together to form this Purépecha representation of a sun deity that denotes war and fire. Decorated by the dual motifs of stars and humming birds, it also illuminates the connection between craft and ancient farming techniques. The intricately designed piece is a testament to the inter-generational transfer of knowledge and skills; a practice that preserves the unbroken chain of ancient production.

Winner of the LOEWE Craft Prize 2017

The president of the jury Anatxu Zabalbeascoa explained the reasons behind the selection of the winner, “Tree of Life 2” by Ernst Gamperl: ‘For the way in which this work explores the meeting point between formal values and a social message. This is an object that is both beautiful, and teaches us the value of recycling. It is based on rescuing fallen trees and bringing nature back to life with exquisite skill. It is the work of a gifted craftsman who has the special ability to have developed a distinctive individual voice rather than a style or signature’.

Jonathan Anderson, creative director: ‘The work of Ernst Gamperl has something which conveys a unique voice and the physicality of these pieces will be important for many more years to come.’

The Jury also agreed upon giving two special mentions.

One special mention to Yoshiaki Kojiro: ‘The jury recognised the exercise of research, embracing risk and innovation by mixing materials to achieve a shape that is ultimately a structure of experimentation.’

Another special mention to Artesanías Panikua. The statement from the jury explains: ‘The second special mention is for a piece capable of arousing feelings before one even begins to rationalise it. Apart from its emotional impact, the piece speaks of a collective cultural legacy, demonstrating that craftsmanship with artistic ambition should have no material limits; straw can be just as important as gold.’

Click hereto find out more about the winner of the LOEWE Craft Prize 2017.

The Finalists of the LOEWE Craft Prize 2017

26 works have been selected as finalists by the Experts Panel out of more than 3,900 participants.